Student recording is pervasive in lectures and presentation. Students have good reasons for wanting to record teaching sessions and academic presentations. At the same time, tutors and speakers have good reasons to restrict the use of recordings. As a default policy, ProfJoeCain applies the following requirements on recording in teaching sessions and all other presentations:
- Audio: Audio recordings are not allowed without direct and explicit permission of the presenters before any recording is created.
- Visual: Visual recordings (e.g., photographs and films) are not allowed without direct and explicit permission of the presenters before any recording is created.
- Transcription or translation: These processes create recordings. As a result, they require direct and explicit permission from presenters. When recording is allowed, this is on the understanding that no permanent record is preserved. Intellectual property rights and privacy requirements are not waived for these processes.
Students and audience members do not have a “right” to capture presentations. When a student has reasonable adjustments that include provision for recording, permission from the presenters is still required, and presenters have a right to decline. If declined, a suitable alternative will be offered within the special adjustments. For example, a tutor might instead provide a transcript or detailed notes as a replacement to the in-class presentation.
Student Recording: When in doubt? Ask.
No recording is allowed in sessions when substantial student input is expected. A seminar designed for student discussion is an example. This is to protect privacy and academic freedom.
When recordings are created, intellectual property rights are automatically assigned to the presenters and to the university, according to UCL’s policies in this area. Those capturing a recording have no intellectual property rights in these situations.
Underlying reasons for these policies include:
- privacy – staff and students have a right to privacy. Recordings intrude on privacy. Control of one’s own privacy is an reasonable expectation in learning environments, such as in university classrooms.
- intellectual property rights – intellectual property remains with presenters and the university regardless who creates a recording. Distribution is a matter for the rights holder.
- preserving safe spaces for freedom of expression, exploration, and debate.
When recordings are allowed, they are permitted subject to the following conditions:
- recordings are for the purpose of individual private study only; they are not to be shared or distributed without permission of the presenter.
- recordings are not to be copied, published, re-distributed, or sold in any way.
- recordings are not edited and re-distributed.
- recordings and subsidiary materials (e.g., transcriptions) are deleted either within one month or at the completion of a university module (whichever is longer), unless otherwise allowed by the presenters.
Recordings sometime capture material covered by UK data protection laws. People in possession of such recordings must comply with all relevant laws and university regulations.
Covert recording of presentations (recording without permission) may be treated as a disciplinary, civil, or criminal offence. This is a form of theft.
When I record a session, I will announce this fact at the start, allowing time for those who object to leave or to modify their participation. These recordings might be edited and re-distributed. Should a person feel their privacy has been compromised in any recording I create, they should raise the matter with me as soon as possible following the recording. I will consider what adjustments are appropriate, such as deletion of a segment of sound.
2025.04.30